- Sunflowers and peanuts should be the nut meats, not the shells. Sunflower shells kill the plants that are below the feeder.
- If squirrels are a problem, avoid sunflower seeds, corn and peanuts.
- Thistle can cause a weed problem so I prefer nyjer which doesn't germinate. They look identical (to me)
- If germinating seeds is a problem, microwave one batch of seeds to get them real hot, let them cool, then put them out once at a safe temperature. I do about 3 cups of seed on HIGH for 3 minutes.
- Many mixed birdseeds are full of tiny seeds that the wild birds don't eat at all. It is "filler" and a waste of your money! It ends up on the ground, sprouting weeds.
Blackbirds - sunflower, cracked corn, millet
Buntings - millet, nyjer/thistle, sunflower
Cardinals - sunflower, safflower, cracked corn, millet, peanut
Chickadees - sunflower, suet, nyjer/thistle
Doves - corn, millet, milo, nyjer/thistle, sunflower, safflower
Finches - sunflower, safflower, nyjer/thistle, millet, peanut
Goldfinches - sunflower, millet, nyjer/thistle, broken peanuts (if you want to feed goldfinches only, get an upside down feeder and use nyjer/thistle)
Grossbeaks - millet, sunflower, cracked corn, peanut, safflower
Jays - sunflower, cracked corn, milo, suet, peanuts, safflower
Juncos - everything!
Meadowlarks - cracked corn, millet
Mockingbirds - sunflower, peanut
Nuthatches - sunflower, safflower, suet
Pigeons - cracked corn, millet, milo, nyjer/thistle, sunflower
Sparrows - sunflower, cracked corn, millet
Titmice - sunflower, safflower, suet, nyjer/thistle
Woodpeckers - sunflower, suet, cracked corn
upside down feeder for goldfinches
I put out safflower which attracts the cardinals but keeps the sparrows and squirrels away. I also put out two upsidedown feeders with nyger (not thistle) for the goldfinches.
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